Here is an interesting article from ServerWatch on the importance of integrating presence into web applications. From the article:
"Collaboration and almost any group endeavor is more effective when an element of "presence" — the ability to know if someone is online and available — and real-time interaction is available. For this reason the unambiguous trend is for groupware to include functionality for real-time collaboration tools and conferencing, and for presence information and IM...IM and presence management will very soon be a vital part of any software system that helps even the smallest group of people to work together."
The application of this technology when teams are working together to resolve urgent events and crisis' is obvious as being faster and efficient and more convenient than any other means. MissionMode realized early on in the development process, the role that Chat and Instant Messaging could play in the team collaboration during crisis management. To that end, we integrated ChatBlazer into our Situation Center.
Once an event occurs and the initial alert is sent out to the response team, team members can log into a situation-specific virtual command center where they can access plan documents, assign and update tasks, and post information to a log. There is also a list where all team members are listed along with an icon indicating whether they are logged into the Situation Center at that time.
If they are, a simple click on the person's name opens up an IM window where they can chat. Other team members can also be invited to join. When they are done, a click of a button saves the entire chat conversation to the log for future reference.
Simply being able to recognize that another team member is logged in can simply reassure other team members that specific personnel have seen critical updates and are up to speed on the situation.
